Inside the Star

Toronto casino debate has prompted the city to re-examine what it wants from Exhibition Place

The prospect of a casino has prompted some citywide soul-searching about grounds that are simultaneously important and foreign to many Torontonians. What do we want them to be, and how can we best use the prime, public waterfront real estate?

The Princes’ Gates, the regal arches that tower above Strachan Ave. at Lake Shore Blvd., are among the recognizable totems of Toronto: parades march beneath them, cars pass them each day and millions have walked through en route to the premier event within, the Canadian National Exhibition.

The 192 acres that lie beyond the gateway, however, are not so easily defined — suffering an identity crisis of sorts that’s been brought to the fore by the prospect of a casino setting up shop there.

The chance of a gambling house at city-owned Exhibition Place has prompted some citywide soul-searching about the grounds, which are both historically important and chronically underused.

What do we want Exhibition Place to be, and how can we best use the prime waterfront real estate?

“We believe there’s a better plan and a vision for these grounds, and in a strange way we should thank the casinos for pushing this issue to the front stage of the waterfront. It’s long overdue,” said Brian Ashton.

The land occupies an important place in the city both geographically and symbolically, thanks to the founding event. In its more than 130 years, the CNE has drawn millions of people for late summer fun.

“Pretty much any generation of Torontonians would remember going down there,” said Richard Fiennes-Clinton, who owns a walking tour company that explores Exhibition Place. “It has a sentimental value.”

Despite its age, it remains relevant. According to a March 19 Forum Research poll, two-thirds of the 1,045 city residents polled describe the CNE as either “one of Toronto’s most important institutions” or “an important Toronto institution.”

But aside from that 18-day fair — and a handful of other major events, such as the Honda Indy, Caribana and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair — the average Torontonian is not regularly drawn to the grounds.

Discussing the prospect of a $3-billion lakefront “integrated resort”prospect of a $3-billion lakefront “integrated resort” using Exhibition Place and provincially owned Ontario Place, Councillor Gary Crawford called the tract of land an “underutilized part of the city.”

“When you’re looking at the entirety of the year, there are lots of aspects of the CNE that are not being used,” said Crawford, vice-president of the CNEA executive committee. “A lot of that prime real estate is parking lots.”

The grounds have been increasingly defined by trade and consumer shows, thanks in part to the construction of the Direct Energy Centre in 1997.

The vision for the land has therefore focused on these shows, expanding trade show space and increasing the number of meeting rooms, said Dianne Young, CEO of the Exhibition Place board of governors, the city management arm that oversees the grounds.

“That’s what we’re out in the market doing. Should we be more? Those were the initiatives we put in place in 2009, and we will be revisiting that in 2013,” she said.

She adds that in the past 15 years, several new tenants have moved in, including Medieval Times, Gossip Restaurant, and BMO Field. A hotel for trade-show and convention guests is in the works.

Master planning for the future of the grounds has been postponed until the casino debate is settled, said Councillor Mike Layton, whose ward includes Exhibition Place. But he says big strides have been made toward drawing in visitors year-round.

“We’ve seen, over the decades, some change. Does it happen all at once? No,” said Layton. There’s room for improvement in the area, but it shouldn’t take the form of a casino, he added.

“We should be finding ways to generate capital or value to the city, rather than finding ways to fleece our residents.”

But Crawford, who is undecided about the casino, sees some benefit.

“As much as I have reservations and serious concerns about whether or not (the MGM-proposed casino) is the right fit for those grounds … it turns those parking lots into something real for 12 months of the year, as opposed to the 18 days,” he said.

If not a casino? If it were up to him, Ashton likes the idea of a large skating rink on the grounds during the winter months.

But when creating a new vision for the grounds, everyone — the public, architects and urban planners — should have a say, he said.

“How can we have animated space that is publicly accessible and usable 365 days a year?” said Ashton. “That’s the big question.”

Toronto Exhibition facts

Four in 10 Torontonians went to the CNE in 2012

26% of those polled describe The Ex as “one of Toronto's most important institutions”

36% Describe it as “an important Toronto institution”

22% Say it used to be important but is now outdated

All information is from a Forum Research poll of 1,045 randomly selected residents, and is considered accurate + or &#x2013; five per cent, 19 times out of 20.

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